Note to self: Look away if she ever saw her brother shielding Meggie’s eyes and pulling his weapon.
Meggie didn’t believe she was the best person to check on Kendall, given their recent disagreements. Fee agreed. Meggie didn’t know a smidgeon of Kendall’s antics. Right now, thanks to Charlotte’s goading, she wasn’t the most stable. Fee didn’t trust the outcome of a meeting between Kendall and Meggie, therefore, she’d agreed to go to Kendall.
The woman’s ambivalent personality made it almost impossible to maintain a good relationship. Nevertheless, Fee understood that whatever drove her to mayhem was uncontrollable and didn’t discriminate. Daphne had been caught in Kendall’s all-encompassing net, at the ultimate cost. Kendall would condemn herself for Daphne’s death before somehow laying the blame on Meggie.
After witnessing Kendall’s behavior at the dinner, Fee believed Kendall would fault Meggie for every calamity that befell her. In spite of, or maybe because of, Fee’s affinity to both of them, she felt responsible for this entire situation. If she would’ve done the job Christopher hired her to do, this could’ve been avoided.
More than that, Kendall was family, and families stuck together, no matter what.
Keeping that uppermost in her mind, Fee arrived at Kendall’s house bright and early. Without speaking, Jane opened the door and let her in.
Fee straightened her shoulders, in no mood for the housekeeper’s snobbery. “Would you please tell Mrs. Donovan I’m here?”
Before Jane answered, Johnnie strolled down the hall, changing direction when he spotted Fee. “Hold on a minute, Ella,” he said as the nanny rushed to catch up to him. “Fee, what are you doing here?”
“I didn’t know you were here,” Fee responded.
“I was trying to settle my wife before I left.”
Fee nodded. “I-I’m concerned about her, too.” At his lifted brow, she cleared her throat. “Um, you know, after what happened yesterday.”
“Nothing’s a secret in the club,” he said tightly, clearly unamused.
Fee wouldn’t mention Meggie’s call, especially in front of Jane and Ella. “I’ve come to check on Kendall.”
Bending, Johnnie kissed her cheek, the anger lifting from his features. “Thanks, Fee. She can use a friend.”
If only Kendall believed that she did have friends in both Fee and Meggie. “Where is she?”
“She’ll appear at any moment,” Johnnie answered. “I convinced her to come down for coffee. Why don’t we go to the kitchen to wait for her?”
“Sure.” Without waiting, Fee headed to the kitchen and pressed the button on the simple coffeemaker. Simple, according to Kendall’s standards. After leaning against the counter, Fee realized how comfortable she’d made herself, as if she still worked there. “I’m sorry for overstepping my bounds,” she said to Johnnie, who’d followed her.
“You’re fine, sweetheart.” Johnnie faced the nanny. Fee was happy Jane chose not to go into the kitchen with them. “Ella, my wife’s not feeling well today, so take special care to keep Rory away from her and Matilda quiet.”
“Of course, Mr. Donovan,” Ella responded, then straightened, a step away from standing at attention and saluting as Kendall shuffled into the kitchen. “Oh, Mrs. Donovan,” she clucked. “Good morning, ma’am.”
Tears streaked Kendall’s puffy eyes and she sniffled, rubbing a lacy handkerchief across her reddened nose. “Morning, Ella,” she mumbled, trancelike and wide-eyed.
“I was just going to Mr. Rory and Miss Matilda.”
“Hi, Kendall,” Fee said, ignoring Ella bustling away.
Kendall’s gaze fell on Fee and recognition cleared her face. “Fee? Oh, Fee,” she sobbed, rushing to Fee and throwing her arms around her. “He killed her. He shot her! He shot her.” She wailed so pitifully that tears rushed to Fee’s eyes. “He killed her.”
Johnnie pulled Kendall into his arms and stroked her hair, crooning softly to her. “It’s not your fault, gorgeous.”
“No, it isn’t,” Fee agreed.
“Yes, it is!” Kendall shrieked wildly. “I wanted…Oh my God! I used her to…and now… I can’t believe…she’s dead!”
“Let’s have coffee at the table.” Johnnie guided Kendall to the dining room and onto a chair, then sat on the seat next to her and took her hand in his. “Fee, get her some coffee.”
Fee rushed to do Johnnie’s bidding, ignoring Jane’s hawk-eyed stare. Being a recommendation from Charlotte explained Jane’s disapproval and made her easy to ignore. When she returned to the dining room, she found Kendall leaning on Johnnie’s shoulder, sobbing softly.